Dual shower attachment device

ABSTRACT

An attachment device for converting a single shower head personal shower installation to dual, opposed shower head installation to provide for showering at each side of the shower enclosure or recess in which the device is installed, is described. A sectional, tubular support member is provided with adjustable thrust abutment means at one end for frictional engagement between opposite sidewall portions of the shower recess or enclosure in securing the attachment device in place. Shower head fittings installed along the length of the tubular support member near each end thereof communicate for fluid flow therebetween by means of a flexible conduit contained within that portion of the tubular support member between the shower head fittings. Flexible supply conduit means is provided for interconnecting one of the shower head fittings with the shower head supply arm of the shower enclosure or recess in which the attachment device is installed. A control valve in each of the shower head fittings provides for selective control of shower water thereto for independent or dual use in showering.

United States Patent [1 1 Wilson 1 Oct. 21, 1975 1 DUAL SHOWERATTACHMENT DEVICE Mark L. Wilson, 650 Wren Ave., Miami Springs, Fla.33166 [22] Filed: Jan. 23, 1975 2| App1.No1:543,25l

[76] Inventor:

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,207,380 12/1916 Duffy4/148 1,218,879 3/1917 Luzzi 239/282 X 2,277,562 3/1942 Schu 1 4/1482,279,150 4/1942 Thom 239/208 2,336,402 12/1943 Kaiser 1 4/152 2,697,83912/1954 Jackson .1 239/282 UX 2,755,985 7/1956 Finegan 239/269 X2,985,232 5/1961 Greiner et al..... 239/282 3,121,235 2/1964 Gellmann239/283 X 3,822,826 7/1974 Wilson 239/267 Primary ExaminerRobert S.Ward, Jr. Alwrney, Agent, or Firm-Ernest H. Schmidt [57] ABSTRACT Anattachment device for converting a single shower head personal showerinstallation to dual, opposed shower head installation to provide forshowering at each side of the shower enclosure or recess in which thedevice is installed, is described. A sectional, tubular support memberis provided with adjustable thrust abutment means at one end forfrictional engagement between opposite sidewall portions of the showerre cess or enclosure in securing the attachment device in place. Showerhead fittings installed along the length of the tubular support membernear each end thereof communicate for fluid flow therebetween by meansof a flexible conduit contained within that portion of the tubularsupport member between the shower head filtings. Flexible supply conduitmeans is provided for interconnecting one of the shower head fittingswith the shower head supply arm of the shower enclosure or recess inwhich the attachment device is installed. A control valve in each of theshower head fittings provides for selective control of shower waterthereto for independent or dual use in showering.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 8 ll-. hilt DUALSHOWER ATTACHMENT DEVICE This invention relates to personal showers andis directed particularly to a dual shower head assembly for use insubstitution for the usual single shower head in personal showerenclosures.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a dual showerhead attachment device which, upon installation, provides a pair ofelevated shower heads spraying inwardly from each side of a personalshower enclosure, thereby enabling two persons to shower independentlyat the same time or, alternatively, one person, standing centrally inthe shower enclosure, to be showered from each side for more rapid andeffective cleansing.

Yet another object is to provide a dual shower head attachment devicethat is particularly well suited to installation and use in associationwith a standard bath tub by simple substitution for the usual singleshower head installed at one end of the recess in which the tub isenclosed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a dual shower headattachment device of the above nature which comprises, in kit form,sectional tubular support structure the sections of which can readily beassembled and opposite end portions of which comprise shower headmembers interconnectable for fluid flow by the use of a flexible conduitcontained within the tubular support structure, further includingadjustable abutment means for thrustingly wedging the support structurebetween opposite end wall portions of a tub or shower enclosure, andflexible conduit means for interconnecting one of the shower headmembers with the shower head outlet or supply arm of the bathtub orshower enclosure within which the device is to be installed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a dual shower headattachment device of the character described which will be simple inconstruction, attractive in appearance, compact when disassembled in kitform, easy to assemble and install, and durable and effective in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description when read with reference to theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numeralsdenote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 illustrates, in side elevation, a dual shower head attachmentdevice embodying the invention assembled in place between opposite endwall portions of an ordinary tub enclosure and connected for watersupply to the usual shower arm of such a shower enclosure;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, ofa central portion of the tubular support structure, illustrating theinter-fitting connection of the central sectional portions thereof andthe passage of the flexible fluid flow conduit therethrough;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale ascompared with FIG. 1, of opposite end portions of the installed dualshower head attachment device, illustrating constructional detailsthereof; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of one of the shower headfittings, taken along the plane indicated at 44 of FIG. 3, in thedirection of the arrows, and illustrating details the flow-controlvalve.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, reference nu meral l0designates, generally, a dual shower head attachment device embodyingthe invention, assembled for use between the head and foot walls ll, 12,respectively, ofa bathroom tub recess R partially surrounding anordinary built-in tub (not illustrated).

The attachment device 10 comprises a plurality of central tubularsupport member sections l3, l4 and IS, a pair of cylindrical shower headfittings l6 and 17 interfittingly connected, respectively, in coaxialrelation at the outer ends of the tubular support member sections 14 and15, and comparatively short tubular end sections 18 and I9interfittingly connected in coaxial outwardly extending relation withrespect to said shower head fitting members. The outer end of the shorttubular end section 18 if friction fitted within the cylindrical recess20 of a circular abutment member 21, the outer surface of which hascemented or otherwise secured thereupon a facing pad 22 of hard rubber,neoprene or the like serving as a frictional contact surface.

Means is provided for adjusting the overall length of the shower headattachment device at the end section 19 thereof. To this end, thetubular end section 19 has slidingly fitted thereover, in telescopingfashion, a tubular extension section 23, the outer end of which isinwardly pressed to a somewhat decreased diameter in embracing relationabout the cylindrical head 24 of a coaxially inwardly extending threadedrod 25,

The outer end of the tubular extension section 23 will preferably beswedged at a plurality of positions about its periphery, as indicated at26 in FIG. 3, to provide for secure interconnection between the bolthead 24 and said tubular extension section. As further illustrated inFIG. 3, the outer end of the short tubular end section 19 has fittedtherein a cylindrical nut member 27, similarly swedged in place asindicated at 28. The threaded rod 25 is threadingly engaged within thenut member 27, so that as the tubular extension section 23 is turnedwith respect to the short tubular end section 19, said tubular extensionsection will be moved inwardly or outwardly depending upon the directionof turning to adjust the overall length of the device. A circularabutment member 21a, identical with the abutment member 21 at theopposite end of the device, is press-fitted for friction fit at theouter end of the tubular extension section 23.

Since the shower head fittings 16 and 17 are identi cal, only thefitting 16 is referred to for description in detail. Fitting 16 willpreferably be molded of a tough, substantially rigid synthetic plasticmaterial to define a cylindrical, elongated body portion 29 having acoaxial cylindrical recess 30 at one end for the friction-fit receptionof the short tubular end section 18 (see Fig. 3). The opposite end ofthe cylindrical body portion 29 is integrally formed with an outwardlyextending, coaxial nipple portion 31, of reduced external diameter so asto define an annular end wall 32. The end wall 32 is provided with acoaxial, annular recess 33 of such size as to receive, in interfittingfrictional engagement, an outer end portion of the tubular supportsection 14.

The nipple portion 31 of the shower head fitting 16 is formed near itsouter end, with an outer peripheral bead 34 and, near its inner end,with a somewhat smaller outer peripheral bead 35. Means is provided forsecuring one end of a length of flexible conduit 36, which may be vinyltubing, for example, to the nipple portion 31 of the shower head fitting16. To this end, there is provided a securement nut 37, the internalthread of which increases somewhat in cross-sectional diameter from oneend of the nut to the other, said nut being disposed circumjacent thenipple portion 31 and outer end portion of the flexible conduit 36fitted over said nipple, and being operative when screwed firmly inplace, to clamp said tubing in water-tight relation about the innerperipheral bead 35. An axial bore 38 extending through the nippleportion 31 and partially through the elongated cylindrical body portion29 of the shower head fitting 16, extends just short of the bottom wall39 of the coaxial cylindrical recess 30, whereat it communicates with aperpendicular bore 40 extending through a sidewardly outwardly directed,externally threaded nipple portion 41. The shower head fitting 16 isalso integrally formed with an angularly outwardly extending shower headnipple portion 42, substantially centrally located between the nippleportions 31 and 4|, said shower head nipple head portion being providedwith a central bore 43 communicating at its inner end with the nipplebores 38 and 40. The outer end of the shower head nipple portion 42 isexternally threaded, as indicated at 44, to threadingly receive thereonan ordinary shower spray head 45 (see FIG. 1).

Valve means is provided in the shower head nipple portion 42 of theshower head fittng 16 for the control of water flow therethrough andthrough the attached shower spray head 45. To this end, the shower headnipple portion 42, near its inner end, is provided with a transversebore 46, somewhat larger diameter than that of the nipple bore 43 andintersecting said nipple bore, said transverse bore having slidinglydisposed therein, in close interfitting relation, a cylindrical slidevalve member 47 (see FIG. 4).

The cylindrical slide valve member 47 is provided with cylindricalabutment heads 48, 49 of somewhat increased diameter at each end tolimit the sliding movement of said valve member. As illustrated in FIG.4, the slide valve member 47 is provided, near one end thereof, with atransverse through opening 50, having the same diameter as that of thebore 43 of the shower head nipple portion 42. As best illustrated inFIG. 4, when the slide valve member 47 is in the limit position whereatthe transverse through opening 50 is out of registry with the nippleopening 43, flow through the nipple is blocked, and the associatedshower spray head will be shut off. Adjustable flow control isaccomplished by gradually pushing the slide valve member 47 to itsopposite limit position from that illustrated in FIG. 4, to the fullflow limit position as illustrated in FIG. 3, to achieve maximum waterpressure at the inlet to the associated shower spray head 45. It will beunderstood that as the slide valve member through opening 50 is thusmanually moved more and more into registration or coaxial alignment withits associated nipple bore 43, corresponding control is effected in theintensity or flow volume of water spray through the shower head.

In use, the various sections and parts of the dual shower headattachment device will be assembled as described above and illustrated.In this connection, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the outer ends of thecentral tubular support member section [3 are formed with slightlyreduced-diameter and portions 51, 510 which are slidingly receivedwithin opposed inner end portions of respective tubular support sections14 and 15 whereat they are frictionally retained in place. It is also tobe noted that the flexible conduit or length of tubing 36 is long enoughto permit attachment of its ends to the respective shower head fittingl6 and 17, as described above, before the outer ends of the tubularsupport member sections 14 and 15 are inserted in place over the showerhead fitting nipple portions 31. After the attachment device 10 is thusassembled for placement between the end walls ll, 12 ofa tub recess R,for example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the tubular extension section 23will be turned inwardly sufficiently to permit insertion of the devicebetween the walls ll, 12 whereafter it will be screwed in the outwarddirection to extend the over-all length of the attachment device to suchan extent that the friction pads 22, 22a at each end of the device abutagainst the oppossed recess walls, thereby securely wedging theattachment device in its installed position. As further illustrated inFIG. I, the installed position of the device will be close enough to theusual shower head supply arm 54 so that after removal, of the originallyprovided shower spray head, (not illustrated), a short length offlexible coupling hose 52 having female threaded coupling members 53 ateach end can be used for a screw-on connection between said shower headsupply arm and the shower head nipple portion 42 of the shower headfitting 16. As illustrated in H65. 1 and 4, the threaded nipple portion41a of the opposite shower head fitting 17 may be closed off byinternally threaded closure cap 55. It is also to be noted that theotherwise unused externally threaded nipple portion 41 of the remoteshower head fitting 17 could alternatively be used for the connection ofa flexible conduit leading to an auxiliary hand-held shower device orthe like.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A dual shower head attachment device comprising, in combination, asectional tubular support structure, said structure comprising aplurality of central tubular support member sections, means forremovably interconnecting said central tubular support member sectionsin coaxial alignment, a shower head fitting inter-fittingly connectableat each end of said interconnected central tubular support sections,said cylindrical shower head fittings each comprising a cylindrical bodyportion and means for interconnecting one end each of said cylindricalbody portions in coaxial alignment with the opposed outer end portionsof said interconnected tubular support member sections, a tubular endmember extending coaxially outwardly of each of the other ends of saidshower head fitting body portions, means for removably securing said endmembers to their respective shower head fittings, means for adjustablyextending the length of one of said end members for varying the overalllength of said tubular support structure, said shower head fittings eachcomprising a shower head nipple portion and a second nipple portion bothof which extend sidewardly outwardly of said cylindrical body portion,said shower head fittings each further comprising a third nipple portionextending coaxially outwardly of said one end of its respectivecylindrical body portion, passageway means within each of said showerhead fitting members intercommunicating with the ports of saidassociated shower head nipple portion and said second and third nippleportions, and a flexible conduit removably secured between said thirdcoaxial nipple portions of each of said shower head fittings andreceivable within said interconnected central tubular support membersections for conducting water between said passageway means of saidshower'head fittings.

2. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 1 includinga flexible conduit for interconnecting said second nipple portion of oneof said shower head fittings with a shower head supply arm of anordinary bathroom shower, and closure cap means for sealing off theoutlet port of said second nipple member of the other of said showerhead fittings.

3. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 1 includingvalve means in each of said shower head nipple portions for controllingthe flow of water therethrough and a shower head fitted at the outer endof each of said shower head nipple portions.

4. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid shower head nipple portions extend angularly outwardly of theirrespective body portions to define acute angles with respect to theirrespective third nipple portions.

5. A dual head attachment device as defined in claim 4 wherein saidsecond nipple portions extend perpendicularly outwardly of theirrespective body portions and lie substantially in a common plane withrespect to their respective shower head nipple portions.

6. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid means for removably interconnecting said central tubular supportsections in coaxial alignment comprises reduced diameter end portions ateach end of one of said plurality of central tubular support membersections, telescoping receivable within one end portion each of twoother ones of said plurality of central tubular support centralsections.

7. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 6 whereinsaid means for interconnecting one end each of said shower headcylindrical body portion comprises a coaxial annular recess formed insaid one end of each of said cylindrical body portions of such size anddiameter as to receive, in sliding fit therein, outer end portions ofone each of said two of said plurality of central tubular support membersections.

8. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid means for adjustably extending the length of one of said endmembers comprises a tubular extension member telescopingly fitted overthe outer end of said one end member, a nut coaxially secured within thesaid one end member, and a threaded bolt coaxially secured with respectto said extension member and threadingly engaged in said nut.

9. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 8 andfurther including a pair of friction pads secured one each to the outerend of the other of said end members and said extension member.

1. A dual shower head attachment device comprising, in combination, a sectional tubular support structure, said structure comprising a plurality of central tubular support member sections, means for removably interconnecting said central tubular support member sections in coaxial alignment, a shower head fitting inter-fittingly connectable at each end of said interconnected central tubular support sections, said cylindrical shower head fittings each comprising a cylindrical body portion and means for interconnecting one end each of said cylindrical body portions in coaxial alignment with the opposed outer end portions of said interconnected tubular support member sections, a tubular end member extending coaxially outwardly of each of the other ends of said shower head fitting body portions, means for removably securing said end members to their respective shower head fittings, means for adjustably extending the length of one of said end members for varying the overall length of said tubular support structure, said shower head fittings each comprising a shower head nipple portion and a second nipple portion both of which extend sidewardly outwardly of said cylindrical body portion, said shower head fittings each further comprising a third nipple portion extending coaxially outwardly of said one end of its respective cylindrical body portion, passageway means within each of said shower head fitting members intercommunicating with the ports of said associated shower head nipple portion and said second and third nipple portions, and a flexible conduit removably secured between said third coaxial nipple portions of each of said shower head fittings and receivable within said interconnected central tubular support member sections for conducting water between said passageway means of said shower head fittings.
 2. A dual shower head attachment device as defiNed in claim 1 including a flexible conduit for interconnecting said second nipple portion of one of said shower head fittings with a shower head supply arm of an ordinary bathroom shower, and closure cap means for sealing off the outlet port of said second nipple member of the other of said shower head fittings.
 3. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 1 including valve means in each of said shower head nipple portions for controlling the flow of water therethrough and a shower head fitted at the outer end of each of said shower head nipple portions.
 4. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 2 wherein said shower head nipple portions extend angularly outwardly of their respective body portions to define acute angles with respect to their respective third nipple portions.
 5. A dual head attachment device as defined in claim 4 wherein said second nipple portions extend perpendicularly outwardly of their respective body portions and lie substantially in a common plane with respect to their respective shower head nipple portions.
 6. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for removably interconnecting said central tubular support sections in coaxial alignment comprises reduced diameter end portions at each end of one of said plurality of central tubular support member sections, telescoping receivable within one end portion each of two other ones of said plurality of central tubular support central sections.
 7. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for interconnecting one end each of said shower head cylindrical body portion comprises a coaxial annular recess formed in said one end of each of said cylindrical body portions of such size and diameter as to receive, in sliding fit therein, outer end portions of one each of said two of said plurality of central tubular support member sections.
 8. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for adjustably extending the length of one of said end members comprises a tubular extension member telescopingly fitted over the outer end of said one end member, a nut coaxially secured within the said one end member, and a threaded bolt coaxially secured with respect to said extension member and threadingly engaged in said nut.
 9. A dual shower head attachment device as defined in claim 8 and further including a pair of friction pads secured one each to the outer end of the other of said end members and said extension member. 